How Bookings Work
SlotBase provides a complete booking system for sports facilities. Players can reserve courts, fields, and other resources through a guided flow that prevents double-booking, supports approval workflows, and tracks every session from reservation through completion.
This page explains the full booking lifecycle, the types of bookings available, and how the system manages status at every stage.
The Booking Lifecycle
Every booking in SlotBase follows a predictable lifecycle. Depending on your facility's settings, some steps may be skipped (for example, approval is optional).
Browse Calendar
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v
Select Resource & Time Slot
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v
HOLD Created (5-minute temporary reservation)
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v
Player Confirms
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+---> Approval NOT required ---> CONFIRMED
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+---> Approval required -------> PENDING approval
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+---------------------+---------------------+
| | |
v v v
Admin approves Auto-approved Admin rejects
(APPROVED) after timeout (REJECTED)
| (AUTO_APPROVED)
v |
+---------------------+
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v
Player arrives --> CHECKED_IN
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v
Session ends ----> COMPLETED
At any point before check-in, the player may cancel the booking (subject to the facility's cancellation policy). If the player does not show up, an admin can mark the booking as NO_SHOW.
Booking Statuses at a Glance
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| HELD | Temporary reservation; player has not yet confirmed |
| CONFIRMED | Player confirmed; no approval needed or already approved |
| CHECKED_IN | Player has arrived and been checked in at the facility |
| COMPLETED | The session time has passed |
| CANCELLED | The booking was cancelled by the player or an admin |
| NO_SHOW | The player did not arrive and was marked as a no-show |
For a detailed breakdown of all statuses (including approval and payment statuses), see Booking Statuses.
Booking Types
SlotBase supports several types of bookings to cover different use cases:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Open Play | A standard session booked by a player |
| Lesson | A coaching session, typically booked through a coach's availability |
| League | A booking tied to a league schedule |
| Tournament | A booking created as part of a tournament event |
| Private | A private reservation for exclusive use of a resource |
| Block | A time block reserved by a coach for their availability |
| Maintenance | Time blocked off for facility maintenance (not player-facing) |
For detailed descriptions of each type, see Booking Types.
Key Concepts
Holds Prevent Double-Booking
When you select a time slot, SlotBase creates a temporary hold that reserves that slot for you while you complete the booking. This prevents another player from grabbing the same slot. Holds expire automatically (typically after 5 minutes) if you do not confirm.
Learn more in Booking Holds.
Approval Is Optional
Facility admins decide whether bookings require manual approval. When approval is enabled, confirmed bookings enter a PENDING state until an admin approves or rejects them. Facilities can also configure an auto-approve timeout so that bookings are automatically approved if no action is taken within a set period.
Learn more in Approval Workflow.
Recurring Bookings
Players and admins can create bookings that repeat on a schedule -- daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly. The system generates individual booking instances for each occurrence, and each instance can be managed independently.
Learn more in Recurring Bookings.
Cancellation Policies
Facilities configure cancellation rules including how far in advance you must cancel to avoid fees, the percentage charged for late cancellations, and the fee for no-shows.
Learn more in Cancel & Reschedule.
Who Can Create Bookings?
- Players book sessions through the public booking flow or their player dashboard.
- Admins can create bookings on behalf of any player, with the ability to bypass holds and set payment status directly.
- Coaches have bookings created when players book their coaching blocks.